"There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard

Monthly Archives: March 2020

Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.—Acts 1:8.

I HAVE little sympathy with the idea that Christian men and women have to live for years before they can have the privilege of leading any one out of the darkness of this world into the kingdom of God. I do not believe, either, that all God’s work is going to be done by ministers, and other officers in the churches. This lost world will never be reached and brought back to loyalty to God until the children of God wake up to the fact that they have a mission in the world. If we are true Christians we shall all be missionaries. Christ came down from heaven on a mission, and if we have His Spirit in us we will be missionaries too. If we have no desire to see the world discipled, to see men brought back to God, there is something very far wrong in our religion.[1]

And who could this be but Jesus? Who but he alone could be the object of desire, or able to gratify the desire of all nations? Sit down, my soul, this evening, and consider the subject to the full; and if the result be, as it surely must be, under divine teaching, that none but Jesus can answer to this character, and he most fully and completely comes up to it in every possible point of view, thou wilt find another sweet testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, that he who alone is thy desire hath ever been, and still is, to all that need and seek salvation, the desire of all nations. And, first, consider how universal the want of Jesus must be. “All the world is become guilty (the scripture saith) before God.” (Romans 3:19.) Hence, in every nation, kindred, tongue, or clime, every poor, awakened and convinced sinner stands in need of a Saviour; and, however diversified by language, customs, or manners, sin is felt exceeding sinful, and the desire of deliverance from its guilt and its consequences, however variously expressed, is the burden and cry of every prayer. Now, suppose that to souls of this description Jesus and his glorious salvation was revealed, would not the desire of every heart be towards him? Surely every eye would be directed to Jesus, and every tongue call aloud upon his name. Hence it is that Jesus, and he alone, is the desire of all nations. And as all poor sinners, whether conscious of it or not, stand in need of salvation, so, secondly, it must be observed, that it is Jesus, and he alone, who can give salvation; for, as the apostle speaks, “there is salvation in no other, neither is there any other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12.) And how extensive and all-sufficient is Jesus, to answer the desire of all nations! As one sun in the heavens becomes a fulness of light, and warmth, and healing to a whole earth; one ocean to supply all the rivers and lakes, and the inhabitants of the world; so one Lord Jesus Christ is both the sun of righteousness, and the everlasting river of life, which maketh glad the city of God. Every want, and every desire that can be necessary for time and eternity, all temporal, spiritual, and eternal blessings, are in Jesus. He that is the desire of all nations, is in himself sufficient to satisfy the desires of every living soul. Pause one moment, my soul, over this view of thy Jesus, and say, is He, that is the desire of all nations, thy one, thine only one desire, to which every other is subordinate, and in which every other is swallowed up and lost? See what answer thou canst give to the heart-searching question. And when, through grace, thou hast derived renewed conviction from this view of the subject, that none but Jesus can fully answer the desires of an awakened soul, close the month, as thou hopest to close life, with the blessed hope, that he who is thy one desire now will be thine everlasting portion to all eternity. Amen and Amen.[1]

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2Humility, wise and honorable. Humility avoids disgrace and leads to wisdom (notice the sounds of the first colon: bāʾ-zādôn wayyābōʾ qālôn, “when pride comes, then comes disgrace”). “Pride” (zādôn; GK 2295) is literally a boiling up; and so hubris, an overstepping of the boundaries and insubordination, is meant. Humility describes those who know their place; but those who are proud, says Plaut, 136, are inflated to the level of self-bestowed divinity. The proud will have their egos deflated (qālôn, “made light of, disgrace”).[1]

2 This paired proverb again places first dishonest evaluation and rejection of the Lord’s dominion. Pride (zādôn) denotes a psychological state of an exaggerated opinion of oneself that does not correspond to social reality. Its personification by the verb comes (boʾ) implies that hubris finds favor with the wicked. Disgrace (qālôn, i.e., social failure; see 3:35) comes because the presumption of self-importance entails usurpation of authority that rightfully belongs to the Lord and others in authority, and connotes defiance and even rebellion against their rule (see 13:10; 21:24; cf. 6:17; 16:18–19; 18:12). The wicked invite pride to come as their guest, but, like an inseparable twin, disgrace comes along with her as an uninvited guest. The repetition of the word then comes (wayyābōʾ; see 6:11) and the alliteration of zādôn and qālôn emphasize the inseparability of the welcome and unwelcome guests. The text does not clarify how this social failure comes about. Ultimately the Lord, who upholds the social order, effects it, as is stated explicitly in 3:34 (cf. Gen. 11:5–8; Num. 12:2, 10; 2 Chr. 26:16–21; Esth. 5:11; 7:10; Daniel 5; Luke 18:14; Acts 12:22, 23). By contrast, with (ʾet, i.e., in company with) modest people (ṣenûʿîm) is wisdom (see 76–77), because they judge limits exactly, accept them calmly, and confidently comport themselves to them. In the light of the essential meaning of ṣnʿ, “to be insightful into relationships and so be cautious and circumspect,” “modest” is a precise antonym of “pride,” an exaggerated opinion that exceeds limits. The imprecise antithesis, “comes disgrace” versus “is wisdom,” suggests that wisdom ends in honor (see 3:35) and disgrace is the end result of folly (cf. 16:18). Paradoxically the high is made low and the low made high.[2]

11:2. When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

The contrast of pride and humility is one that is drawn frequently in these proverbs (Prov. 6:17; 13:10; 16:18; 18:12). The word ‘pride’ comes from a word meaning ‘to boil,’ and thus describes arrogant insubordination. It pictures one whose view of life and its circumstances is full of himself and his abilities, rather than God and His divine capacity.5 Instead of the personal triumph he pictures, such a one encounters ‘dishonor.’ Instead of acclaim, he finds that he remains unnoticed. Rather than being considered a heavyweight to be contended with, he is lightly esteemed. Instead of being valued, he is disdained (Isa. 10:12; 14:13–15).

The word translated ‘the humble’ occurs only here. The verbal form is used in Micah 6:8 (‘To walk humbly with your God’). It describes one with a submissive, modest spirit before both God and man. Such a one comes into the possession of ‘wisdom.’ Humility has its rewards: ‘… [B]efore honor comes humility’ (Prov. 15:33; cf. Prov. 18:12). ‘It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud’ (Prov. 16:19). ‘The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord) Are riches, honor and life’ (Prov. 22:4).[3]

11:2 / Antithetic. This is a popular proverb in many cultures (cf. 15:33; 16:18; 18:12). It is an observation drawn from experience with many applications. The meaning of humility here is an honest evaluation of oneself, the avoidance of arrogance. For the assonance in verse 2a, see Additional Notes.[4]

11:2. Proverbs repeatedly asserts that the wise person is teachable (cf. 13:1, 10; 15:5). The pride of fools will bring them dishonor because they are too arrogant (and self-deceived) to be taught by those wiser than they are. The wise are humble. Being self-aware, they are teachable and therefore grow in wisdom.[5]

11:2. Pride pricked

This word for pride is from a root that suggests boiling up, and is used of the arrogance of those who must have everything their own way, and will not be ‘kicked around’: e.g. Pharaoh (Neh. 9:10), Israel (Neh. 9:16, 29), the social rebel (Deut. 17:12, 13), the bogus prophet (Deut. 18:20), the murderer (Exod. 21:14). Lowly (av, rv) is a rare word, found only here and (as a verb) in Micah 6:8 (‘walk humbly with thy God’), where it suggests the biddable spirit that is the opposite of the insubordination just considered.[6]

Ver. 2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame.—Pride:—

I shall first describe to you the several kinds of pride among mankind, and show you their folly and wickedness; and, secondly, point out to you the beauty and advantage of their opposite virtue, humility.

The vice of pride puts on a great variety of appearances, and is found in every rank and condition of human life. Pride of station claims our first notice. “Man being in authority,” is too apt to be “proud at heart”; to be “puffed up” with this distinction; to consider himself as a being of a higher order than the rest of his fellow sinners; and to look upon those with disdain who are lower in the scale of society than himself. But what do the Scriptures say to such a vain and foolish mortal as this? They tell him that “man will not long abide in honour, seeing he may be compared to the beast that perisheth.” They tell him that “men of high degree are a lie; to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.”

Nor is the pride of birth less unreasonable than that of rank. Even a heathen in ancient times could see its absurdity, and say, “for as to family and ancestors, and what we have not done ourselves, we can scarcely call those things ours.”

Of the same wicked and foolish character is pride of riches. Reason tells us that riches cannot give dignity of character, superiority of intellect, vigour of body, endowments of mind, peace of conscience, cheerfulness of heart, or any one of those advantages which form the chief blessings of life; and, therefore, are a very insufficient foundation for “pride of heart.”

Pride of talent, and pride of learning, also ill become “man that is born of a woman.” A disease, an accident, “a sudden terror,” may overset the mind, and turn all our light into “utter darkness.” Of the pride of beauty, in order to show its folly, it need only be said, in the language of inspiration, “surely all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth.”

The pride of judgment, also, which is too often the pride of the young and ignorant, is of the like foolish description, and is equally rebuked by the Holy Scriptures. It is a common and a true observation, that those who know least generally imagine that they know most, and know best.

But, of all kinds of pride, spiritual pride, or the conceit and boast of being holier than others, is the worst description of this bad passion: most hateful to God, and most dangerous to our souls.

Opposite, however, as the mid-day sun to “utter darkness,” is the character given in Scripture of lowliness or humility: and the view of the blessings which are promised upon those in whom it is found. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” When we consider the nature of man, fallen and far gone from original righteousness, one might well think that men should of their own accord see the propriety, the necessity, of the grace of humility in their character. Our Lord has bound meekness and poverty of spirit upon our consciences by His injunctions, and encouraged our obedience to His injunctions by assuring us that “the meek and the poor in spirit shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.” He has declared to us that those who “humble themselves shall be exalted”; and finally, to give the greatest possible weight and effect to what He said, He left us, in His own practice, the most perfect example of the graces which He enjoined to His followers: for “He made Himself of no reputation,” &c. (R. Warner.)

The advent and evil of pride:—

The advent of pride. Pride is inordinate self-appreciation. This feeling comes to a soul; it is not born in it. Infancy and childhood are free from it. How does it come?

By associating only with inferiors.

By practically ignoring the true standards of character. When we lose sight of the eternal law of rectitude, and judge ourselves only by the imperfect standards around us, pride is likely to come.

By a practical disregard to the majesty of God. The conscious presence of God humbles.

The evil of pride. “Then cometh shame.” The man who has formed a false and exaggerated estimate of self must be disappointed one day. Man must always find his level; he must come to realities.

Shame of folly. The soul bursts with a sense of its own foolish estimate.

Shame of guilt. Pride is a wrong state of mind, and hence shame follows it. (D. Thomas, D.D.)

The shame of pride:—

The haughty and overbearing conduct of Cardinal Wolsey created him many secret enemies, and it was his ostentation and love of power which caused him to lose the favour of his sovereign. Proud of his talents, his wealth, his position, his sole aim was to raise himself still higher, all his actions being directed to his own aggrandisements; and this eagerness lay at the root of his downfall, it being impossible for him to please Henry in the matter of the divorce without losing all hope of the popedom. He felt severely the shame of his first disgrace, and offered to surrender both office and wealth to avert the king’s displeasure; but, being allowed to retire to his archbishopric, he again excited the envy of his political rivals by his pride and love of show, and, being arrested for high treason, the whilom leader of the State died broken-hearted on his journey to London.

Pride:—

Among all the vices against which Solomon has cautioned us (and he has scarce left one untouched), there is none upon which he animadverts with more severity, or to which he more frequently recalls our attention, than the vice of pride; for which there may be many reasons assigned, but, more particularly, two seem to deserve our consideration.

The first is the extensiveness of the sin. Other vices tyrannise over particular ages, and triumph in particular countries. Rage is the failing of youth, and avarice of age; revenge is the predominant passion of one country, and inconstancy the charasteristic of another; but pride is the native of every country, infects every climate, and corrupts every nation.

The second reason may be drawn from the circumstances of the preacher. Pride was probably a crime to which Solomon himself was most violently tempted, since he was placed in every circumstance that could expose him to it. He was a king absolute and independent, and by consequence surrounded with sycophants ready to second the first motions of self-love, to comply with every proposal, and flatter every failing. But Solomon had not only the pride of royalty to suppress, but the pride of prosperity, of knowledge, and of wealth.

The nature of pride, with its attendants and consequences. Pride, simply considered, is an immoderate degree of self-esteem, or an over-value set upon a man by himself, and, like most other vices, is founded originally on an intellectual falsehood. But this definition sets this vice in the fairest light, and separates it from all its consequences, by considering man without relation to society, and independent of all outward circumstances. Pride, thus defined, is only the seed of that complicated sin against which we are cautioned in the text. In speculation pride may be considered as ending where it began, and exerting no influences beyond the bosom in which it dwells; but in real life pride will always be attended with kindred passions, and produce effects equally injurious to others, and destructive to itself.

He that overvalues himself will undervalue others, and he that undervalues others will oppress them. Pride has been able to harden the heart against compassion, and stop the ears against the cries of misery. It makes masters cruel and imperious, and magistrates insolent and partial. It produces contempt and injuries, and dissolves the bond of society. Nor is this species of pride more hurtful to the world than destructive to itself. The oppressor unites heaven and earth against him.

He that sets too high a value upon his own merits will, of course, think them ill-rewarded with his present condition. He will endeavour to exalt his fortune and his rank above others, in proportion as his deserts are superior to theirs. Once fired with these notions, he will attempt to increase his fortune and enlarge his sphere; and how few there are that prosecute such attempts with innocence, a very transient observation will sufficiently inform us. To pride, therefore, must be ascribed most of the fraud, injustice, violence, and extortion, by which wealth is frequently acquired.

Another concomitant of pride is envy, or the desire of debasing others. A proud man is uneasy and dissatisfied, while any of those applauses are bestowed on another, which he is desirous of himself.

Another consequence of immoderate self-esteem is an insatiable desire of propagating in others the favourable opinion he entertains of himself. He therefore tortures his invention for means to make himself conspicuous, and to draw the eyes of the world upon him. But for the most part it is ordered by Providence that the schemes of the ambitious are disappointed, so that “still when pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom.”

Some of the usual motives to pride, and how little they can be pleaded in excuse of it. A superior being that should look down upon the disorder and corruption of our world, that should observe the shortness of our lives, the weakness of our bodies, the continual accidents, or injuries, to which we are subject; the violence of our passions, the irregularity of our conduct, and the transitory state of everything about us, would hardly believe there could be among us such vice as pride. Yet so it is, that however weak or wicked we may be, we fix our eyes on some other that is represented by our self-love to be weaker, or more wicked, than ourselves, and grow proud upon the comparison. Another common motive to pride is knowledge, a motive equally weak, vain, and idle, with the former. Learning indeed, imperfect as it is, may contribute to many great and noble ends, and may be called in to the assistance of religion. But how little reason have we to boast of our knowledge, when we only gaze and wonder at the surface of things? When the wisest and most arrogant philosopher knows not how a grain of corn is generated, or why a stone falls to the ground? But were our knowledge far greater than it is, let us yet remember that goodness, not knowledge, is the happiness of man! There is another more dangerous species of pride, arising from a consciousness of virtue; so watchful is the enemy of our souls, and so deceitful are our own hearts, that too often a victory over one sinful inclination exposes us to be conquered by another. This kind of pride is generally accompanied with great uncharitableness, and severe censures of others, and may obstruct the great duty of repentance.

III. The amiableness and excellence of humility. To evince beyond opposition the excellence of this virtue, we may observe that the life of our Lord was one continued exercise of humility. (John Taylor, LL.D.)

Pride leading to shame:—

Tirmond, one of the Czar’s ablest surgeons, and to whom he was much attached, having died, his widow married a young barber from Dantzic, who was somewhat more expert in gallantry than in surgery; as he became very wealthy by this marriage, he made a great figure at Moscow. Being one day sent for by the Czar, he went to court in a magnificent dress, and in one of his elegant carriages. Peter examined him, and roughly told him he was a blockhead, and immediately called in a troop of valets and peasants, whom he ordered him instantly to shave. The gentleman barber was under the necessity of obeying, to the great amusement of the whole court, and with the same parade in which he had arrived, he was then permitted to return. (Christian Weekly.)

Proud and lowly:—

Pride consists in an immoderate self-esteem, and places its happiness in esteem and honour from others. No sin is more foolish than this, it springs from ignorance of God, of ourselves and other men, and by the very means which it uses for the accomplishments of its ends, ensures disappointment. In seeking glory it finds disgrace. Pride made Nebuchadnezzar a brute. It destroyed Herod with worms. It turned Lucifer into Beelzebub. By other sins, man rebels against God; by pride he usurps His crown and dignity. No wonder, then, that God looks up all those that are proud, and abaseth them. Humble men think of themselves as they ought to think. They desire that God may be honoured, even at the expense of their own honour. (G. Lawson.)[7]

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RUDE and blustering the winds of March often are. Do they not typify the tempestuous seasons of my life? But, indeed, I ought to be glad that I make acquaintance with these seasons. Better it is that the rains descend and the floods come than that I should stay perpetually in the Lotus Land where it seems always afternoon, or in that deep meadowed Valley of Avilion where never wind blows loudly. Storms of temptation appear cruel, but do they not give intenser earnestness to prayer? Do they not compel me to seize the promises with a tighter hand grip? Do they not leave me with a character refined?

Storms of bereavement are keen; but, then, they are one of the Father’s ways of driving me to Himself, that in the secret of His presence His voice may speak to my heart, soft and low. There is a glory of the Master which can be seen only when the wind is contrary and the ship tossed with waves.

“Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms. He has never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing.”

SUBMIT yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: (True religion is always the friend of order, as well as of liberty. The gospel is no doctrine of anarchy, and the Christian is no fomenter of strife,) whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (Civil government is necessary for the well-being of mankind, and those who delight in the law of the Lord are among the last to wish to see its power weakened, or its executive despised. We had sooner suffer wrong, than see our country the prey of lawless mobs.)

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: (Men are ready enough to speak against our holy faith, and in Peter’s day the charge was laid against Christians that they were the enemies of social order; the habitual obedience of Christians to the laws of the countries in which they were scattered was the most conclusive answer to the calumny.)

16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (Believers are the freest of men, but they know the difference between liberty and license. As servants of the Lord, they submit for peace sake to man’s laws, because their Great Lawgiver so commands.)

17 Honour all men. (This is quite as much our duty as to honour the king. Manhood deserves honour,—not wealth, dress, rank, and so on, but man, as our own flesh and blood; for however poor or obscure a man may be, he is a man for all that, and as such must not be treated as if he were a beast.) Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. (Four precepts which are meant to balance one another. There should be a blending of them all in our lives.)

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear (or respect): not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? (Ordinary people can do that, but Christians are extraordinary men, and must rise to the highest style of virtue;) but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (Many will say, “If I had deserved it, I should not have cared about it.” But it is evident that were we guilty we ought to care all the more. If we are wise, we shall feel that if we do not deserve a rebuke, we can bear it patiently, and thank God for the grace which enables us to rejoice amidst it all.)

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (What an example! May the Holy Spirit enable us to imitate it. He was the paragon of patience, the mirror of endurance. He was absolutely perfect, and yet was infinitely a sufferer, but he never complained, or resented wrong. Master of Patience, teach thy disciples.)

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (Let us then follow our Shepherd wherever he leads the way. Especially in the paths of sacred patience and forbearance, let us walk in close attendance upon him. For this we need thy grace, O Spirit of love!)

My dear Redeemer and my Lord,

I read my duty in thy word;

But in thy life the law appears

Drawn out in living characters.

Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal,

Such deference to thy Father’s will,

Such love, and meekness so divine,

I would transcribe and make them mine.

Be thou my pattern; make me bear

More of thy gracious image here;

Then God, the Judge, shall own my name

Amongst the followers of the Lamb.

March 31.—Evening. [Or June 29.]
“So shall we ever be with the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians, 4:13–18; 5:1–10

BUT I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (We may sorrow, but with measure and limit. We know that the souls of departed believers are safe, and that their bodies will rise from the grave: wherefore, then, should we weep and lament as the heathen and the unbelieving do?)

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (Note the words, “sleep in Jesus.” Death does not break the union between Jesus and his saints. We are one with him eternally; and therefore as surely as Jesus rose, so surely must all the members of his mystical body rise also.)

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (anticipate or take precedence of) them which are asleep. (We shall in no respect fare better. To sleep in Jesus is no dishonour to saints, and it shall not place them in a second class. They shall be in all things equal to those who survive till the Lord comes. We need not therefore dread death, nor feel any over-weening desire to live till the second advent. That the Lord shall come is our confidence; that we shall escape death by his coming is but a poor subject for congratulation. It will give us no gain over the sacred dead.)

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (So that, in order, those who have died will have the preference. Their glory is reached first:)

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (The resurrection first, then the rapture, and the eternal abode with Jesus. Fairest of hopes, art thou ours?)

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Chapter 5:1–10

BUT of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (Unexpectedly to those who have slighted the warnings of prophecy.)

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (Certainly, suddenly, irresistibly. Turn which way they will they shall find no safety,—no deliverance.)

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Unrevealed though the time be, your faith stands on the watch, and you are prepared.

5, 6 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Privilege involves responsibility. Are we children of the light? Then we are bound to be awake. The sons of darkness may legitimately slumber, but we must not, or we shall be unpardonably inconsistent.

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

Drunkenness in those days had not grown so brazen-faced as now,—men who were given to intoxication reserved their revels for the darkness which would veil them. It would ill become us who have heavenly light to fall into the vices of nature’s midnight.

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Jesus’ great love can only fitly be acknowledged by the entire consecration of our redeemed manhood to him, at all times and in all places. Spirit of holiness, work in us communion with Jesus and conformity to him. Amen.

The Fed was taking extraordinary measures to prop up the economy months before anyone in China showed the first symptoms of coronavirus. Eventually the Federal Reserve-created consumer, business, and government debt bubbles will explode, leading to a major crisis that will dwarf the current coronavirus shutdown.

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The WHO peddled false narratives from the Chinese Communist Party as the pandemic mushroomed, and was mimicked by health officials, media, and politicians. It all undoubtedly contributed to the spread of the virus.

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“Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).

Is this the end of the world for us? I do not think so, but many times throughout history mankind has suffered greatly. Mankind probably has thought this and asked this question more times than we could count. I know in my mind that I am struggling to comprehend everything that is occurring daily.

Not only is there fear and uncertainty about our health in the face of COVID-19, but many people are losing employment, financial stability, and even hope. We are all uncertain, we are all fearful, and we are all worried. But if we didn’t have our confident hope in Jesus (Romans 12:12), then we would be far worse off if our hope was in the world.

Therefore, I pray that everyone puts their own thoughts aside and look to God. Because in Him, we are secure no matter what the outcome brings. Paul continues in Romans:

And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

Uncertainty During the Coronavirus

In the Bible, there was so much uncertainty, anticipation, and worry. But even with all of that, faith was not lost. In Hebrews 11, the Bible talks about how many people of faith like Moses or Abraham continued to seek God and obey Him despite the uncertainty. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Their circumstances required them to have faith no matter the outcome. For example, if we decide to take matters into our own hands and take complete control of the uncertainty, then we are not putting our faith in God. We are putting our faith and confidence in ourselves.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

In uncertainty, it’s easy to resort to earthly treasures like financial income to be our foundation to stand on. We easily put our trust in wealth because we can see it with our eyes. But when troubled times strike like in our current circumstance, we tend to panic and worry about how bills will be paid, and everything else. Our security is now being depleted. But our faith should not be. Our foundation first and foremost should always be Jesus Christ.

When we trust in the living God, we are believing, without seeing, that God is our source. God has the authority and power to give and take away. Job can be an example of this statement because he was completely taken from everything, and I mean everything.

In Job 1:20-21, it says, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

I am sure Job was terrified like many of you are now. I know for me that I have struggled to comprehend what is going on. I tried to reason in my mind and figure out how I am going to get through all of this during this uncertain time. Money is important in this world. But what is more important is to put our faith and trust in God. We cannot dwell on the uncertainty and trust God in the same mindset.

It says in the Bible that those who are double-minded are unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Also, know that when your faith is being tested that it is an invitation to find joy in the testing. Because when your faith is tested, your endurance and perseverance will grow (James 1:2-3).

Hope During the Coronavirus

So, you ask where is the hope? I think many of us are consumed with worrisome thoughts and questions. Some questions I have asked myself are filled with anger, sadness, confusion, and much more. We see the numbers go up from those that are sick and dying from COVID-19.

We wonder how life will return back to normal. But in reality, it’s more terrifying when we are caught up in our own thoughts and understanding. When we let our minds fill us rather than God’s Word, that’s when we are in trouble.

The Bible says that the devil is prowling around, looking to those he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). It also says, “Be alert and sober minded.” How do we do that? We do this by reading God’s Word, praying, and giving God our thoughts to Him. What really helps me sometimes is when a negative thought comes, I combat it with God’s Word.

What Does This Mean?

Now, I am human just like you all. I sometimes, and lately, have been letting these negative thoughts rule my mind. But it is the hope that Jesus Christ gave when He took my burdens and sins on the cross that keeps me sane. I pray that all of us keep our faith, hope, and eyes on God. Because God is our source and life. He will not ever forsake us.

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word (Psalm 119:114).

Rebecca Gordon has a bachelor’s in psychology and is engaged to a wonderful man named Joseph. Her favorite time of year is spring because of the many flowers it brings about. She loves to go to the beach, hike, and explore new places. She loves God with all of her heart and will serve Him all the days of her life. She has a blog site and is planning to earn her master’s in biblical counseling.

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Is this the end of the world for us? I do not think so, but many times throughout history mankind has suffered greatly. Mankind probably has thought this and asked this question more times than we could count. I know in my mind that I am struggling to comprehend everything that is occurring daily.

Not only is there fear and uncertainty about our health in the face of COVID-19, but many people are losing employment, financial stability, and even hope. We are all uncertain, we are all fearful, and we are all worried. But if we didn’t have our confident hope in Jesus (Romans 12:12), then we would be far worse off if our hope was in the world.

Therefore, I pray that everyone puts their own thoughts aside and look to God. Because in Him, we are secure no matter what the outcome brings. Paul continues in Romans:

And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

Uncertainty During the Coronavirus

In the Bible, there was so much uncertainty, anticipation, and worry. But even with all of that, faith was not lost. In Hebrews 11, the Bible talks about how many people of faith like Moses or Abraham continued to seek God and obey Him despite the uncertainty. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Their circumstances required them to have faith no matter the outcome. For example, if we decide to take matters into our own hands and take complete control of the uncertainty, then we are not putting our faith in God. We are putting our faith and confidence in ourselves.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

In uncertainty, it’s easy to resort to earthly treasures like financial income to be our foundation to stand on. We easily put our trust in wealth because we can see it with our eyes. But when troubled times strike like in our current circumstance, we tend to panic and worry about how bills will be paid, and everything else. Our security is now being depleted. But our faith should not be. Our foundation first and foremost should always be Jesus Christ.

When we trust in the living God, we are believing, without seeing, that God is our source. God has the authority and power to give and take away. Job can be an example of this statement because he was completely taken from everything, and I mean everything.

In Job 1:20-21, it says, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

I am sure Job was terrified like many of you are now. I know for me that I have struggled to comprehend what is going on. I tried to reason in my mind and figure out how I am going to get through all of this during this uncertain time. Money is important in this world. But what is more important is to put our faith and trust in God. We cannot dwell on the uncertainty and trust God in the same mindset.

It says in the Bible that those who are double-minded are unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Also, know that when your faith is being tested that it is an invitation to find joy in the testing. Because when your faith is tested, your endurance and perseverance will grow (James 1:2-3).

Hope During the Coronavirus

So, you ask where is the hope? I think many of us are consumed with worrisome thoughts and questions. Some questions I have asked myself are filled with anger, sadness, confusion, and much more. We see the numbers go up from those that are sick and dying from COVID-19.

We wonder how life will return back to normal. But in reality, it’s more terrifying when we are caught up in our own thoughts and understanding. When we let our minds fill us rather than God’s Word, that’s when we are in trouble.

The Bible says that the devil is prowling around, looking to those he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). It also says, “Be alert and sober minded.” How do we do that? We do this by reading God’s Word, praying, and giving God our thoughts to Him. What really helps me sometimes is when a negative thought comes, I combat it with God’s Word.

What Does This Mean?

Now, I am human just like you all. I sometimes, and lately, have been letting these negative thoughts rule my mind. But it is the hope that Jesus Christ gave when He took my burdens and sins on the cross that keeps me sane. I pray that all of us keep our faith, hope, and eyes on God. Because God is our source and life. He will not ever forsake us.

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word (Psalm 119:114).

Rebecca Gordon has a bachelor’s in psychology and is engaged to a wonderful man named Joseph. Her favorite time of year is spring because of the many flowers it brings about. She loves to go to the beach, hike, and explore new places. She loves God with all of her heart and will serve Him all the days of her life. She has a blog site and is planning to earn her master’s in biblical counseling.

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A message from a headmaster to his pupils

We are living through incredible times. So much so, that our schools have closed to nearly all of their pupils without any of us knowing when we will meet again. Here are twelve pieces of advice from me, a headmaster, to you, my pupils, for you to take away and hold onto during the tumultuous months ahead.

Look after yourselves. Wash your hands; be clean; remember the importance of social distancing and follow government advice. When you wash your hands, apparently singing ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘God Save the Queen’ helps. If you want to get them really clean, sing ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’.

Work hard. Even though you are not in school physically, you may be able to access your lessons online. You may be anxious and worried. Don’t be: just work hard. Everyone is in the same boat. For those in Year 11 and 13, if I had just heard that my exams had been cancelled, at first I would have thought ‘Cha-ching!’; then, I would have been disappointed and deflated; then I would become quite anxious and worried and uncertain; but now I need to think ‘Here we go’. Because if you work hard at all you have been set, you’ll be providing the evidence for predicted grades which I imagine your exams will now be assessed on. Don’t waste time, work hard.

Make sure you have a routine. Get out of bed early, get washed, get changed, and try and follow your normal school day as best as you can. Have some exercise. Don’t just be lazy and go stale, have a routine.

Keep in touch. Keep in touch with your teachers via email. Don’t go where we can’t find you or go to ground. We want you to know that we are just at the other end of an email, or maybe in some cases at the other end of a phone.

Show compassion. Compassion is an important Christian value and I cannot think of a better time to show compassion. Help people – maybe your Grandparents. You won’t be able to see them for a long time so send them messages, do practical things to help them. There will be old people where you live, maybe you can do some shopping for them. Just think of practical ways that you can be kind and show compassion.

Build, strengthen, and repair relationships with your family, because you are going to spend an awful lot of time with them. Maybe you have got brothers and sisters you don’t get on with, maybe you’ve been hard work for Mum and Dad, but over the next few weeks and months, build relationships, strengthen relationships and put things right. You could come back to school saying, ‘My family life is so much better, we get on so much better, we spent so much time together.’ Be good boys; Mum and Dad are probably going to have tough times ahead, they are going to be worried and anxious, so be good for them. Do the right thing.

Be resilient. I am sure, like me, you’ve felt an energy and a buzz in recent days. But as the weeks and the months go on there will be times when it will get harder and harder, and you must be resilient. You have got to dig in, and keep going.

Hold your nerve. There will be lots of people saying lots of things – lots of worrying things – and people will be anxious about what might happen. Rudyard Kipling said this, ‘If you can keep your head, while all around are losing theirs, you’ll be a man my son’. Hold your nerve.

Be brave. I am sure, like me, there might be times over the next few days and weeks where you will be a bit scared, but be brave, show courage.

Ask for help. The bravest word a child can sometimes say is ‘Help’. If you are on your own, or if you are struggling, and finding it hard, send an email to your teacher and say ‘Sir, I need some help.’ They can make sure that the right people can give you that help. Don’t be frightened to ask for help.

Think. Think about all the things you have heard your teachers say, and all that I have said and consider them all. You will have lots of thinking time ahead.

Be thankful. These are tough times, but we have still got so many things to be thankful for. While many pupils have not been able to come to school, your teachers have come in and looked after you. Even those who are ill and at home have sent work in for you.

Let me end by giving you some advice which is not my advice at all, it is actually found in the Bible, in Psalm 121.

I lift my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you, will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel, will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil, He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out, and your coming in, from this time forth and forevermore.

Look after yourselves. Work hard. Have a routine. Keep in touch. Show compassion. Build, strengthen, and repair relationships with your family. Be resilient. Hold your nerve. Be brave. Ask for help. Think. Be thankful, and look to God.

13–14 The psalm concludes on a triumphant note. Despite the difficulties, the royal psalmist leads his people into a deeper faith. He is strongly convinced that the Lord will come to the rescue of his people. He believes that he will taste God’s “goodness” in fellowship, protection, guidance, and victory (cf. 23:6). The hope is based on the promises of God and on God’s covenantal name, Yahweh. “The land of the living” denotes “life” on earth over against the state of death (cf. 52:5; 142:5; Isa 38:11; 53:8; Eze 26:20; 32:23).

Characteristically, the psalmist does not keep his faith to himself—in 26:7 he looked forward to “proclaiming aloud” the great acts of God. While these words (v. 14) were first addressed as an encouragement to his own heart, they had the intended effect of encouraging each and every godly person to draw courage from them. Verses 13–14 are an appropriate conclusion to the psalm and constitute an inclusionary motif with vv. 1–3. The words of encouragement are reminiscent of Moses’ words to Joshua (Dt 31:7), of God’s commission of Joshua (Jos 1:6–7, 9, 18), and of Joshua’s words to the people (10:25; see Paul’s words of encouragement in 1 Co 16:13). Redemptive history did not conclude with the conquest. It continues as long as God’s people “wait for the Lord” and do his will (cf. Hag 2:4–5). As Weiser, 254, puts it, “Here faith is the power which enables the faithful to endure the tension between his present afflictions and his future deliverance from those afflictions.”[1]

13–14 The psalm’s closing stanza expresses trust by means of both a statement of confidence and a communal exhortation. The statement of confidence—Indeed I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living—sums up the psalmist’s trust. The verb to believe (ʾmn) expresses the paradigmatic relational reliance that is required of God’s servants (see Gen. 15:6; Exod. 14:31; Isa. 7:9). The goodness of the Lord (ṭôḇ YHWH; Pss. 34:9; 100:5; 135:3; 145:9; Jer. 31:12) is a summary statement that encompasses the entire range of gracious actions that a follower can expect from the Lord—from the bounties of harvest, to rescue from dangers, to forgiveness of sins, to healing. The psalmist’s communal exhortation transposes the psalmist’s interior trust into an exterior witness. The psalmist bids those who hear her testimony to be strong and confident. These two verbs (ḥzq and ʾmṣ) are paired together frequently in the Old Testament, most poignantly in Joshua 1 (vv. 6, 9, and 18), where they describe a wide range of qualities that Joshua is to embody—from boldness in leading God’s people, to diligence in keeping the commandments, to confidence in trusting God’s promises. All together, Joshua 1 provides something of a thick description of what the psalmist means when she calls on Israel to hope and trust in the Lord. To trust in God is to look to God for the good in life—to wait for good things from God, to hope for God’s deliverance. Connecting this with the first commandment, to trust in God means to wait for and hope in God and in God alone.[2]

A Call to Wait (v. 14)

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord (v. 14). This final verse appears to be a call to others to follow the psalmist’s example, though it is possible that it is addressed to himself as a word of self-encouragement. The repetition of the word ‘wait’ gives particular force to the idea, emphasising waiting with tenseness or eagerness. From a strong faith in the Lord flows mighty deeds in his name. The ‘heart’ stands for the centre of the psalmist’s whole life. With all of his being he is willing, like Joshua (Deut. 31:7 and Josh. 1:6–7), to serve the Lord.[3]

27:13–14 / After making petition to Yahweh, the psalm closes with a testimony about Yahweh. As the speaker has expressed his intent “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord … in his temple” (v. 4), so he will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (i.e., beyond the confines of the temple). The psalm closes with an exhortation, one very similar to that closing Psalm 31 (cf. also 55:22), to wait for the Lord. Such advice can be the most frustrating for eager, anxious, or impatient believers until they themselves feel, and actually are, desperately powerless; then it becomes the deepest source of hope. While the exhortation implies believers are powerless in themselves to make a difference, it also implies the powerless are not helpless: Yahweh will act on their behalf.[4]

27:14Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. This urgent admonition to “be strong and take heart,” sandwiched between the double “wait for the Lord,” recalls the words of Moses to Joshua (see the sidebar). Compare with Isaiah 40:31 (see ESV). See “Theological Insights” in the unit on Psalm 25.[5]

14. Nothing can be more blessed than viewing Christ in the promises, and pleading for the fulfilment and accomplishment of them, in and for him. Isaiah 40:31.[6]

Confidence (vv. 13–14)

No, his confidence is still intact. It is a trust in a God whose goodness is to be experienced here, in this world; that is the force of verse 13. Some have taken the land of the living to mean the next world; but while there are indeed pointers in the Psalter to the hope of resurrection and an after-life, this is not one of them; David expects to see answered prayer here and now, or at any rate here and sooner-or-later. ‘The mills of God grind slowly,’219 and it is no surprise that saints of great vision should sometimes pray prayers whose answers do not arrive till after they have gone to glory, but they see plenty of the goodness of the Lord before they go. They are the kind of people who know all about the alert, tip-toe expectancy which is what Scripture means by wait for the Lord, and which gives his hard-pressed people heart and strength.[7]

27:13, 14. Believe and wait

While some of the psalms contain an answering oracle (see on 12:5, 6) or an outburst of praise which is evidence of such an answer, whether heard inwardly or outwardly (cf. 28:6f.), others show the psalmist holding on in naked faith, as we may have to do.

The Hebrew of verse 14 begins with an unrelated ‘Unless’, which the Jewish scribes marked as a doubtful reading (the ancient versions do not have it). If it is authentic, it could be leaving the sequel to the imagination: ‘Unless I believed that I should see (etc.)—(how could I survive!)’. Cf. av, rv; and see Exodus 32:32 for this construction. It does not materially affect the sense. In the final verse the psalmist may be addressing anyone undergoing such a trial, or may be speaking to himself, as in, e.g., 42:5, etc., to stiffen his resolve (the your is singular, as are the verbs, unlike those of 31:24, where see comment); or this may even be the Lord’s answering oracle. Whichever it is, the suppliant has no more to go on than the assurance that God is worth waiting for. But that is enough.[8]

27:13–14. Wait for the Lord

The psalm ends on a strong note of trust. Although he faces problems, the psalmist remains confident that God will remain good towards him while he yet lives (in the land of the living). Thus, he urges his hearers to remain courageous and wait for God to respond (see Josh. 1:7).

Meaning

This prayer is appropriate for those facing difficulties, who know that they need God’s help and that God’s help is available to them because they are convinced of his goodness towards them and his presence with them. Thus, they can ask and then wait, not in desperation, but with courage.

On reading the first verse (The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?), Christian readers naturally think of Jesus, our salvation, who said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12). Indeed, it is in Jesus’ presence that we have the type of security that the psalmist longed for in the midst of life’s dangers: ‘We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Rom. 8:37–39).[9]

Ver. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.—The Christian’s strength:—

The Church of God has often been in a low, languishing, and, to all human appearance, in a desperate condition; yet one thing, as Solomon says, is set against another, and it has been at such times that His people have realized most fully the comforts of His providence and gracious presence. These stars shine brightest in dark winter nights. How wonderful have been God’s deliverances of His people. The Bible is full of such records. And during their trials God does not leave His people comfortless. See this psalm. David here gives his own experience, and he bids us “wait on the Lord.” Note—

How we are to wait on God.

In His ordinances. Where did Simeon and Anna wait? Where did Joseph and Mary find Jesus when they had lost Him? He was surprised that they had not thought of the temple, where after three days they found Him. The first place they should have sought Him in was the last they thought of. Nowhere is the sinner more likely, or so likely, to find Him as where the crowd is met and the cross is raised—in His Father’s house. Besides the public ordinances of religion, such as the communion table and Sabbath services, in the use of which we are to wait upon the Lord, there are other means of grace at our service; and still more fully within our reach. The communion table is but occasionally spread, and the doors of the church may be thrown open only once a week; but the pages of the Bible are always open, and the gates of prayer, like those of heaven, are never shut. And we are to wait with faith and perseverance. The farmer sows in faith that the harvest season will come, he waits and works for it. Far away from the billows that are breaking out on the sandy shore, the vessel lies upon the beach, doomed as it would seem to rot; why then do men climb her shrouds, and man the yards, and shake out broad sheets of canvas, and loose her moorings, to catch the breeze and bear away across the deep? Theirs are acts of faith; they believe in the law of tides, and that, every billow breaking nearer and nearer, the waters at length shall wash her keel, and, rising on her sides, float her off the sands—they wait and work for that.

They that wait on the Lord shall receive strength. Thus God shall make good His promise, “As thy days are, so shall thy strength be.” Why, then, it may be asked, do men go from the house of God and from a communion table to be worsted “as at other times before,” by the devil, the world, and the flesh? Baptize a withering plant with water, and it lifts up its head, casts off the old leaves, and puts out a fresh crop of buds and blossoms. But why, then, are men not always the better for the ordinances of religion? The plant revives. Why not the soul? The answer is not far to seek. The ordinances of religion are compared to wells of water; but then, they are like Jacob’s well. The water lies far below the surface; and to the men of the world, the mere professor of religion who has the name but not the faith of a Christian, we may say, as the woman said to our Lord, “Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.” Faith is, as it were, the rope, and our souls the vessel which we let down into this well to fill them with living water. But that they do no good to some, forms no reason why we should despise, or neglect ordinances. It is no fault in the bread, that, thrust between a dead man’s teeth, it does not nourish him. The truth is, that we must have spiritual life to get the benefit of religious ordinances. Water will revive a withering, but not a withered plant; wine will restore a dying, but not a dead man. (T. Guthrie, D.D.)

Waiting on the Lord:—

No one could be better qualified than David to offer this counsel. Now to you who are tried by the delay of God’s promises, as David was, we would explain from the text.

The remarkableness of waiting upon God. For—

He alone can supply our need. “Our expectation is from Him,” whether it be spiritual or temporal deliverance that we desire.

He is faithful as well as all powerful.

And He knows what is best to be done. He has all wisdom. God sees, as we do not, all the consequences of granting our desires.

The necessity of it. There is no alternative for us as believers. God is under necessity to be good, He cannot be otherwise; therefore we are under necessity to wait for Him.

III. The benefit of so waiting. God “will strengthen thine heart.” And that there will be good to us arises from—

The fact of Christ’s intercession for us.

The Holy Spirit is ever ready to help us. See the experience of Paul when troubled by “the thorn in the flesh.” He waited upon the Lord and he was helped. And so shall it be with us. (Thomas Dale, M.A.)

Waiting on the Lord:—

This waiting on the Lord must be—

An humble waiting. Humility is not so much to think meanly of oneself, as not to think of oneself at all. The high places of God are very low. The lowly in heart find Him.

A patient waiting. In the midst of trial and opposition we are to wait. Patience is born of storm and disaster. Tribulation worketh patience.

III. A persistent whiting. Patience shines in persistence more than in acquiescence. The Scotch girl’s definition of patience is a true one: “Wait a bit, and dinna weary.” Yet patience does not consist in taking things as they come. It is not non-resisting. God likes to be persistently inquired of. Heaven is taken by violence. Those who will not help themselves will not be helped of Heaven.

An active waiting. Faith without works is dead. Prayer without works is just as dead. The sick man must use the remedy if he would get well. The business man must be fervent in business, the soldier must keep his powder dry. This applies to the work of saving souls. We must use the means within our reach, as well as trust in God. “Wait” is a large word. Take it in its full meaning, and it leaves nothing else for us to do. (Herrick Johnson, D.D.)

The duty of waiting:—

The Christian soldier is long in learning to wait. Marching and countermarching are much easier to God’s warriors than standing still. There are hours of perplexity when the willing spirit anxiously desires to serve, but knows not how. Shall it vex itself by despair? fly back in cowardice? turn aside in fear? rush forward in presumption? No; simply wait; but—

Wait in prayer. Call upon God; spread the case before Him; tell Him the difficulty; plead His promises.

Wait in simplicity of soul. In dilemmas it is sweet to be humble as a child. It is sure to be well with us when we feel and know our folly, and are willing to be guided by God’s will.

III. Wait in faith. Express unwavering confidence; for unfaithful, untrusting confidence is an insult to the Lord. Believe that though He keeps us tarrying He will come at the right time and will not tarry.

Wait in quiet patience. Not rebelling under the affliction, but blessing God for it; nor murmuring against second causes, as the children of Israel against Moses; nor wishing to go back to the world again; but accepting the case as it stands, and putting it simply and whole-heartedly into the hands of our covenant God. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Brave waiting:—

There are two perils to which Christians are exposed; the one is that under heavy pressure they should start away from the path which they ought to pursue,—the other is lest they should grow fearful of failure, and so become faint-hearted in their holy course. Both these dangers had evidently occurred to David, and in the text he is led by the Holy Spirit to speak about them. “Do not,” he seems to say, “do not think that you are mistaken in keeping to the way of faith; do not turn aside to crooked policy, do not begin to trust in an arm of flesh, but wait upon the Lord;” and, as if this were a duly in which we are doubly apt to fail, he repeats the exhortation, and makes it more emphatic the second time, “Wait, I say, on the Lord.”

God is to be waited on.

As a beggar waits for alms at the rich man’s door. Beggars must not be choosers. Believingly to wait upon the Lord, pleading the all-prevailing name of Jesus, is the suppliant’s best posture.

As learners for instruction. The pupils of the old philosophers were wont to walk in the groves of Academia till the wise men were ready to come and speak with them; and when any one of the wise men began to speak, the young disciples quietly followed his steps, eagerly catching up every precious sentence which he might utter. Much more should it be so with us towards our Lord Jesus; let us follow Him in every page of inspiration, study every line of creation, and learn of Him in all the teachings of His providence.

As a servant waits upon his lord.

(1) Oh, to be always waiting to do yet more and more for Jesus. I would go up and down my Master’s house, seeing what I can do for His little children, whom I delight to cherish; what part of the house needs sweeping and cleaning, that I may quietly go about it; what part of the table needs to be furnished with food, that I may bring out as His steward things new and old; what there is to be done for my Master towards those who are without, and what is to be done for those already in His family. You will never be short of work if with your whole heart you wait upon the Lord.

(2) Sometimes the servant will have to wait in absolute inaction, and this is not always to the taste of energetic minds. It is said that Wellington kept back the Guards at Waterloo till far into the fight, and it must, I should think, have needed much courage on their part to remain calm and quiet while cannon were roaring, and the battle raging, and the shots flying about them. They must not stir till the commander-in-chief gives the order, “Up, Guards, and at them!” then will they clear the field and utterly annihilate the foe. They were as much serving their country by lying still till the time came as they were by dashing forward when at last the word was given. Wait, then, upon your Lord in all sorts of service and patience, for this is what He would have you to do.

As a traveller waiting the directions of his guide, or a mariner waiting upon the pilot who takes charge of his ship. We are to wait upon God for direction in the entire voyage of life; He is at the helm, and His hand is to steer our course.

As a child waits upon its parent. “My father knows what I have need of, and I am sure he will give it me.”

As a courtier waits upon his prince. Sir Walter Raleigh was wise in his generation when he took off his richly embroidered cloak to spread it over a miry place, that Queen Elizabeth’s feet might not be damped; the courtier knew how to smooth his own road by caring for his queen; and thus, with unselfish motives, out of pure reverence for our Lord, let us be willing to be made as the street to be walked over if Jesus can thereby be honoured. Let us lay out for our Lord the best that we have, even to the character which is dear to us as life itself, if by so doing we may bring glory to the holy and blessed name of our Redeemer.

Courage is to be maintained. “Be of good courage.” Our good Lord and Master ought not to be followed by cowards. Be of good courage concerning the faith which you are exercising upon Christ. He is very good to those who seek Him.

Be of good courage, you who have newly found Him, to avow your faith. Wear your colours before the face of all men.

Be of good courage in endeavouring to spread the faith which you have received. Undertake great things for Christ.

Be of good courage, when you pray for others. Intercession has great influence with God.

Be of good courage, in making self-sacrifices for the cause of Christ.

If you are called to endure great affliction, sharp pain, frequent sickness; if business goes amiss, if riches take to themselves wings and fly away, if friends forsake you and foes surround you, be of good courage, for the God upon whom you wait will not forsake you. Never let it be said that a soldier of the Cross flinched in the day of battle.

III. Waiting upon God sustains courage. You have heard of the famous giant whom Hercules could not kill, because the earth was his mother, and every time Hercules dashed him down he obtained fresh strength by touching his parent, and rose again to the fight. We are of like nature, and every time we are driven to our God, though we be dashed upon Him by defeat, we grow strong again, and our adversary’s attempt is foiled. Our heart is strengthened by waiting upon God, because we thus receive a mysterious strength through the incoming of the Eternal Spirit into our souls. No man can explain this, but many of us know what it is.

Waiting upon the Lord has an effect upon the mind, which in the natural course of things tends to strengthen our courage; for waiting upon God makes men grow small, and dwarfs the world and all its affairs, till we see their real littleness.

And then it inflames the heart with love. Nothing can give us greater courage than a sincere affection for our Lord and His work. A raven was hatching her young in a tree. The woodman began to fell it, but there she sat; the blows of the axe shook the tree, but she never moved, and when it fell she was still upon her nest. Love will make the most timid creature strong; and, oh, beloved, if you love Christ you will defy all fear, and count all hazards undergone for Him to be your joy.

Waiting upon the Lord breeds peace within the soul, and when a man is perfectly at rest within he cares little for trials or foes. A heart unsettled towards God is sure to be afraid of men, but when the soul waits on the Lord in glad serenity it stoops not to fear.

This waiting upon the Lord produces the effect of increasing our courage, because it gives us often a sight of the eternal reward, and if a man getteth a glimpse of the crown of glory, the crown of thorns will no more prick his temples.

Experience proves this. The text is a summary of the entire psalm. All the rest of the verse may be compared to the figures of an account, and this closing verse is the casting up of the whole—waiting on the Lord is the path of wisdom. (Ibid.)

“Tarry thou the Lord’s leisure”:—

That is the rendering of the Prayer-book version, and it brings out the exact meaning of the word “wait,” which we have interlarded and lost sight of by making it mean such things—and legitimately enough—as prayer. It just means “wait.” Wait for Him as you would wait for a friend at the trysting-place who does not come. Wait for Him, and wait, and wait until He does come. We know it to be a Christian duty to be patient with our fellow-men; have we ever thought of the necessity and the duty of being patient with God? “O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure.” It is hard, I admit it is hard, to have this patience. Indeed, the more earnest you are, the more alive you are to the needs of the world, the more eager you are to see the Kingdom of Heaven brought in among men; and the more you do on behalf of the Kingdom, the more is the temptation to lose grip of this patience with God. “Why tarry the wheels of His chariot?” are we not saying every day, and as we go out into the world and see the evil and sin of the world we say it with a more plaintive note in our voice than ever. We strain, some of us, and hurt ourselves straining to help the Kingdom of the King to prepare the way of the Lord. Some faithful Christian work may be said almost to be the fruit of faithlessness. Some make up in zeal what they lack in faith. Some rail at God for His leisure with the world and with the Church, and act as if their efforts in His cause are almost a rebuke to God.

O that His steps among the stars would quicken!

O that His ears would hear when we are dumb!

Many the hearts from which the hope shall sicken,

Many shall faint, before His Kingdom come.

Patience is the Divine method in the world. Everything in the world is wrought patiently, smoothly, softly, naturally, sweetly. The seasons come and go. The world has been brought thus far not by cataclysm but by change, by growth, not by creation, and it is so morally. The world has been brought thus far by God with groanings and travailings that cannot be uttered until now, by His own Divine method of patience. The moral education of the race has gone on, step by step and stage by stage, as men were able to bear it, and able to understand it. Think of the patience of Christ. He came for the sake of the whole world to redeem the world, and He limited Himself of His own accord to twelve humble men, and He limited Himself still further, and He went on, over and over again, teaching these twelve men, preparing that morsel of soil for the precious seed. O man that art impatient, and speakest about the smallness of thy sphere, the small ministry you have in which to serve; think how limited Christ’s sphere was, and the patience with which He began the redemption of the world. That is the Divine method for the world, and for the Church, and for ourselves. (H. Black, M.A.)

Beggars should be willing to wait:—

One morning I noticed a tramp knocking at a house door. A kind-hearted woman lived there, and when she had opened the door and seen the beggar, she ran back into the kitchen to get him something to eat. After standing a moment, he turned and went on his way. Then she came to the door with the food in her hand and called after him. He almost missed that meal because he did not wait, Perhaps we have quite missed some great spiritual gift for which we have asked because we had not learned to “wait on the Lord.” (R. Brewin.)

Wait for an answer to prayer:—

When I lived in Exeter an eccentric clergyman who occupied a house in the Mint passage had had placed, under the knocker of his door, the polite request, “Please don’t knock unless you wait for an answer.” There was a school near, and I think the boys used to give him trouble. We often give God trouble, too, when we knock at His door but do not wait for an answer. (R. Brewin.)

Christian valour:—

Courage is the calm, determined pursuit of the right, notwithstanding the nature of the road, ignoring the world’s flattery, despising the world’s menace, disparaging the transient garland and the transient crown. Courage is simply the disposition to go right on, irrespective of the world’s swords or of the world’s crowns. “Be of good courage.” Where shall it be exercised? Sometimes in silence. I think if we could make comparisons between one aspect of the Master’s life and another, if everything in the Master’s life was not superlative; if we could put some things in the positive and some in the comparative and make comparisons; and if I were to be asked to put my finger on the one place in the Master’s life where the courage of the Lord shone out the most resplendently, I should put my finger on the word where it says, “And He answered him nothing.” It is superlative valour. The valour of silence, when to speak might mean gain. The courage to keep a close lip, the courage to restrain a laugh when somebody has made a filthy jest. The courage to present a perfectly passive face when conversation is becoming unfair; the courage to withhold applause when applause would simply add fury to an unclean fire. That is the courage that our Master seeks—the courage sometimes to withhold the laugh. There is many a young fellow would restrain for ever from an unclean, filthy jest if he were left in the shivering experience of a quiet and passive reception. Courage in silence; courage sometimes by speech. I think nothing shows out more radiantly and more conspicuously the valour of the Apostle Paul than that experience which he describes for us in the Epistle to the Galatians, where he tells us that when he encountered Simon Peter who was destined to be a pillar of the Church, a living light in the metropolitan church, and who had gone down to Antioch, and who had played and trifled with the truth, who had worn one coat one day and another on another day, “I withstood him to the face.” A thing like that is not to be received in silence. “I withstood him to the face,” warned him, rebuked him, to his face. Now, suppose you could get a radiant, confident, optimistic courage, a disposition that would keep its lips still and closed when it might appear as though to open them would be immediate gain, and that would speak though speech should wreck a possible career, that would go right on disregarding on the one hand a menace, or, on the other hand, a smile—suppose you could get a disposition like that implanted into the personality of men, suppose it had become part of my constitution, part of my make up—pure, clean, clear courage, what would be the influence of it? First of all, the influence of it on myself. Would it have made any influence upon my body? I want to say that it would; I want to proclaim—and I think it is a note that is not sufficiently proclaimed, and emphatically proclaimed—that Virtue makes for physical health. I would say to any athlete here, “You would become a finer athlete if you were a finer man. Virtue ministers to health rather than vice, and courage will send your blood in a glow around your body rather than cowardice, when you are beset by the hostility of the world.” It will influence the body, it will still more influence the mind. Would it influence the soul? I use the word “soul” there to describe the highest part of man’s personality, the power which lays hold of and apprehends and appreciates and appropriates God. Would it affect that? There is a fine suggestive sentence in one of Emerson’s essays which will serve my purpose to quote it now, “God never gives visions to cowards.” Why does not God give visions to cowards? Because, my brethren, He cannot. Cowards close the doors, shut out the Divine. The light cannot enter the spirit, cannot find access when a man is timid and cowardly; all the entrances in his life are blocked. But if a man is valorous and courageous, having his eyes set on the truth and the pursuit of it, a man is porous, porous to everything that is Divine. The Divine can simply soak into him. If a man of a valorous spirit takes up a book to read, as he reads through the book all that is lovely in the book steeps into him; he is porous towards the lovely and the true. If he goes into a picture gallery, all that is wonderful and beautiful and spiritually suggestive about the pictures soaks into him; he is porous towards the lovely. God cannot give these things to cowards, because they are closed, they are non-porous. It was when Peter had become bold we are told that he had visions; it was after he had become great that he began to have visions of the ineffable glory, and when a man has set his eye upon the truth in the resolute, determined pursuit of it, then I say he is open in every door of his spirit to the entrance of the ministry of the Spirit of God, he becomes the tabernacle of the Almighty. That is how it would influence myself; how would it influence my neighbour? I am afraid we talk a good deal about the contagion of vice—I do not think too much—but I do not think we talk half enough about the contagion of virtue. We talk a great deal about the leaven of hypocrisy, but I do not think we speak half enough about the leaven of sincerity and truth. Everybody knows that one man can impart a vice to another by simply living with him. There is a most subtle contagion which can pass almost through the mystic influence of thought, and still more by the transmission of speech, but there is a wonderful contagion of virtue, and a man in whom the valorous temperament is enthroned, might give spirit and inspiration to a crowd. Napoleon says: “There is a moment in every great war when the bravest troops feel inclined to run; it is the want of confidence in their own courage,” and then Napoleon says: “The supreme art of generalship is to know just when that moment will come and to provide for it. At Arcola”—I am quoting the words exactly—“I won the battle with twenty-five horsemen. I anticipated the moment of fright and flight, and I had twenty-five men ready of cool nerve and decision, and just at the appropriate moment I turned the twenty-five into the host, and the battle was won.” Twenty-five men who had not lost their nerve brought back confidence to a host who were inclined for fright and flight. The man who was cool for fight brought back the hordes that were ready for flight. Has that no analogy in the realm of the spirit? One brave member of a family may save the whole household from moral perdition; one young fellow in a warehouse may save all his mates from the timidity which means hell; one fine, brave lad in a school who will despise all meanness and set his eyes upon the true and follow it, may gain a whole form for the army of the Lord. How, then, can we get this fine, valorous disposition? “Wait on the Lord”—“Wait, I say, on the Lord.” How painfully inadequate. Inadequate! There are some things in the spiritual which any man can prove in a day. There are some things which inevitably and almost immediately result from the life of the spirit which any man can put into momentary and daily proof. Here is one. Suppose that you find you are becoming possessed by the spirit of anger, and that passion is rising within you like an angry flood, and you feel as though you were about to be overcome, and the flood is going to merge in indiscreet and bitter and violent speech. Just then wait on the Lord, and in the name of God Almighty I promise you, with the most consummate assurance, that you will find your anger will there and then begin to subside, until it becomes as calm as a peaceful sea. If you find that you are becoming the victim of lust, “Wait on the Lord,” and even while you kneel you shall find that the unholy fire is being put out. If you are possessed by the feeling of envy or of jealousy, and if you are being consumed by the hateful thing, “Wait on the Lord,” and I promise you—and I dare you to put it to proof—that while you kneel the envy and the jealousy will pass away from your vision just as the steam passes away from our windows in the cooler light of the dawn. If I come with my spirit of timidity and cowardice into the presence of the Almighty, and say, “Lord, I have a will like a reed, I would like s will like adamant,” will nothing result? Will the Lord, who says to the passion, Be still; and who says to the lust, Die out; and who says to the envy, Evaporate, have nothing to say to a timid and cowardly will? “He shall strengthen thine heart.” When? Not just then, perhaps. I would like to make that clear if I may. It will be when you need, because perhaps just then, when you kneel, you may not need. (J. H. Jowett, M.A.)

The temptation to discouragement:—

Among the whole legion of evil spirits that harass the Christian, there is none more mischievous than that dark-visaged demon called Discouragement. He tries to hamstring us just at the critical time when we need all our faculties and all our graces. If he can persuade us to give up, we are gone. History is never were of telling us of those resolute spirits who would not give up—of Disraeli’s reply to the jeers of the British Parliament, “The time will come when you will be glad to hear me;” and of George Stephenson and Robert Fulton persisting with their experiments in the face of ridicule. But “the children of light” are not always as wise as “the children of this world” in carrying their point. All the more shame to us, because the man of the world has no special promise of the Divine help, and the child of God has. The one has to encourage himself in his own brain-power or his “pluck,” but the other may encourage himself in the Lord his God. One thing we who enlist in the service of Christ must be assured of, and that is that our campaign is for life. Regeneration does not end the fight; it is only its beginning. Our arduous work will not be done until we have gained our crown. God sees that it is not best that we should get to heaven before our time, and so He ordains that this life shall be one of perpetual conflict, temptation, trial, discipline. One of the most frequent temptations to discouragement arises from the want of apparent success in the best undertakings. Brave Dr. Judson preached in Burmah six years without a visible convert. After these six years of subsoiling and seeding came a steady crop of conversions, (T. L. Cuyler, D.D.)

He shall strengthen thine heart.—The strengthening of the heart:—

What do we mean by the Heart? Now, just as the Will is the seat of basal, executive force, and just as the Conscience is the seat of moral instinct, so the Heart is the seat of feeling, the home of emotion, the empire of the sentiments. I wish to discuss what I may call the aristocracy of the feelings. I call them the aristocracy because they possess a certain subtlety of refinement which distinguishes them from others which are more closely and intimately related to the flesh. Like other aristocracies the members are both good and bad. Envy is a purely spiritual feeling, and may exist in all its intensity even when the vesture of the flesh has been finally dropped. Gratitude is a purely spiritual feeling, and may exist in undiminished power when the flesh has turned to dust. There are other feelings which are largely contingent upon the flesh, and which seek their gratification exclusively in the ways of the flesh. These will only indirectly concern us in the present discussion. Let us confine the attention to the more ethereal feelings—to feelings more subtle and more refined, more refined in evil and more refined in good. Now it is very evident that these feelings appear in different kinds and in varied intensity among different people. That is a very obtrusive fact in human life. If with the Divine vision we could enter into some hearts it would be like passing into a cathedral: everything is so sweet and chaste and reverent and beautiful. But if we entered into other hearts it would be like passing into a cellar: dark, damp, and forbidding, abounding in vermin and uncleanness. In some hearts the feelings lurk like carrion vultures; in others they sing and soar like the lark. Have we any responsibility as to the character of the feelings which possess the Heart? Has Conscience, the moral palate, any judgment to give concerning the things of the Heart? Is its dominion confined to the regions of thought and speech and deed, or does its jurisdiction reach to the inhabitants of the Heart? Yes, Conscience indicates some feelings, and definitely condemns them. Conscience indicates other feelings, and definitely approves them. What Conscience condemns I am commanded to remove. What Conscience approves I am commanded to entertain. But in the judgments of Conscience there is a larger implication even than this. That which Conscience commands me to remove I have power at hand to remove. Let us mark that well. Moral commandments are indications of possible moral attainments. Conscience searches my heart and commands me to turn out this feeling, and to give more room to that feeling, and to let in another that for long has been standing at the gate. And all this is a solemn indication to me that, according to the teaching of Conscience, I have power over my own Heart, and that for the exercise of this power I shall be called to account when I stand before the judgment-seat of God. Conscience, then, proclaims that we are responsible for our feelings. Do we recognize the obligation? Let us seek for evidence in our common judgments. Our common judgments recognize that men have power over their own hearts. We condemn a man for ingratitude. If we can exercise no dominion over our feelings the ungrateful man should be regarded with tenderest pity as the poor victim of a hard and petrifying rage. We praise and commend a man because of his warm and bounteous love, because of the bright and sunny influence with which he transforms our dull November seasons into merry days of June. Why should we commend him if men have no power over their own hearts? He is rather to be regarded as a very lucky man, who, by a most fortunate chance, has entered into a golden heritage, which less lucky men have been denied. But no such element of chance is allowed to enter in and shape and colour our judgments. If it were needful to give further elaboration to this it would be easy to detach fragments from our common speech which clearly indicate that in our practical life we acknowledge that men can exercise sovereignty over the empire of the Heart. For instance, we blame one man for “allowing his feelings to run away with him,” we commend another for having his feelings “well under control.” I do not think this truth receives sufficient emphasis when we are considering the culture of the spiritual life. We have command over the Heart. We have authority over the feelings. Whatever feeling we want we can get. Whatever feeling we do not want we can reject. If we desire the feeling of love we have means to obtain it. If we desire the feeling of malice it will come at our bidding. How, then, are feelings created? Upon what are they dependent? They are largely, if not exclusively, dependent upon thought. Out of thought there comes feeling, just as fragrance is born of a rose, and a noisome stench of a cesspool. Our sentiments are the exhalations of our thoughts. Every thought tends to create a feeling. There are no thoughts devoid of influence. From every thought there proceeds an influence which goes to the making of a disposition. A single thought in the mind may exhale an almost imperceptible influence. But the influence is there, and steals like an intensely subtle odour into the Heart. Let the thoughts be multiplied, and the delicate odours unite to form an intensely powerful influence which we call a feeling, a sentiment, a disposition. But suppose the thought is not like a sweet rose, but like a poisonous nightshade. Here again the influence of a single thought may be too subtle for our detection, but let the thoughts be multiplied, and the poisonous exhalations will unite to form a sentiment of most destructive strength. Let us lay hold of this as a most practical principle in the culture of the spiritual life. We cannot have a good thought and not enrich the Heart. There is no chance or caprice about the matter. It is governed by immutable law. We cannot have one kind of thought to-day exhaling one kind of feeling, and the same kind of thought to-morrow exhaling another kind of feeling. No; each thought creates its own feeling, and always of one kind. There are certain thoughts which, if we will take them into our minds, will inevitably create the feeling of envy. Take other thoughts into the mind, and from them will be born the sentiment of jealousy. Take other thoughts into the mind and the Heart will speedily swell with pride. Fill the mind with another kind of thought and in the Heart will gather the sweet and tender sentiment of pity. Each thought creates its own sentiment, and we cannot help it. Some sentiments gather rapidly. They appear to attain to mature fulness in a moment. Other sentiments accumulate slowly. It often happens that the sentiment of jealousy comes to her throne only after the lapse of many years. On the other hand, anger can mount the throne and govern the life in a day. The mode of its operation is quite familiar to us. Anger is the distinct and immediate creation of thought. We bring certain thoughts into the mind, and from these thoughts there proceed certain sentiments. We think, and think, and think, and the feeling accumulates and increases with our thought, until at last the Heart is full with feeling, and explodes in violent passion. And so we counsel a man not to think about the injury which he has presumedly suffered, “not to nurse it,” and by our counsel we imply that with the rejection of the creative thought the created passion will subside. Let us advance one step further. Our thought creates our feelings. Our deeds react upon and strengthen the feelings which by thought were created. My thought plans a kindly deed. Well, the thought itself will most inevitably tend to create a kindly feeling, but the doing of the deed will also assuredly tend to reinforce the feeling. Our deeds react on the feelings which prompted them, and confirm and augment them. That is one way by which our God rewards His children. He rewards our mercifulness by increasing our resources of mercy. He rewards our deeds by enlarging our hearts. That is the law of our God, and the law finds application on the bad side as well as on the good. Every act of greed strengthens the feeling of avarice. Every act of impurity intensifies the feeling of lust. What, then, is the secret of the culture of the Heart? It is this—we must get back to the origin of feeling. We must get back to imaginations, to ideas, to ideals. As is the mind so will be the Heart. A stony Heart finds its explanation in the mind. A pure Heart may be interpreted in the mind. “Set your mind on things above,” exhorts the Apostle Paul; “Set your mind on things above,” and your feelings will soar heavenward, like white-winged angels making their way home. It is on those serene and lofty heights that a sound and healthy Heart is to be gained. It may be only a depressing revelation to a man to tell him that health can be found on the wind-swept summit. You bring him a gospel when you tell him how to get there, how means may be found even for him, however impoverished he may be. “Set your mind on things above.” There is no gospel in that. I so easily move amid things that are below. Is there any gospel which offers to me a heavenly gravitation to counteract the earthly gravitation, some triumphant power which will tug me towards the things that are above, as this mighty world-power drags me down to things which are below? In this word of the Master I find the gospel I seek: “I, if I be lifted up, will draw …” That is the gospel we need. The power to resist the gravitation of worldliness—to “ascend into the hill of the Lord,” to “set the mind on things above,” to think and live on the pure and heavenly heights—is to be found in a crucified and exalted Christ. Committing ourselves to Christ we shall rise with Him, and the mind will share in the resurrection. Drawn by Him we shall rise into “newness of life.” With the “renewing of the mind” we shall be “transformed”: high-born feelings will come to be our guests, and the pervading influence of these fragrant sentiments will sweeten all the common ways in which we live and move and have our being. (J. H. Jowett, M.A.)

Divine strength:—

They that wait on the Lord, and encourage themselves to do, in the times of affliction, shall have the Lord in mercy to put strength into them, for their better enabling to wait on Him (Ps. 31:24; 40:1, 2; Isa. 40:30).

Reasons—

(1) To wait on the Lord, and to encourage ourselves in affliction, are notable actions of faith. Now, the grace of faith entitles us to the participation of God’s power (2 Chron. 20:20).

(2) In waiting on the Lord, and encouraging ourselves in time of affliction, are the right improving and employing of the talents which the Lord hath left with us; for in so doing we set faith a work. And this behaviour hath little to increase (Matt. 25:28, 29).

Uses—

(1) For instruction. See here plainly that God’s gracious gifts and works in our hearts are vouchsafed, though not for, yet in, and upon our endeavour, in obedience to His will, in the use of those means wherein He is pleased to work the same (Isa. 55:3; Rom. 10:17; John 11:26). See here the true fountain of all that courage and boldness which in all ages God’s children have shown for God’s glory and for the maintenance of His truth (1 Sam. 17:32, 34; Ps. 3:6; 23:4; Dan. 3:16, 17; Acts 3:13).

(2) For admonition. Observe the ways and means whereby God strengthens the hearts of His children, that so we may therein wait upon God in the day of affliction, for increase of strength, and courage in our souls. His Word spoken, either by God Himself (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9), or by His servants (Heb. 12:12). The works of His providence, wherein we have had experience of His goodness in former deliverances (1 Sam. 17:34–37; Ps. 22:4, 5; 2 Kings 2:14). The company of the godly (Acts 28:15; Prov. 27:9, 17). Prayer to God, as well by ourselves as by others in our behalf (Acts 4:24, 29; Eph. 6:19). God’s inward way of strengthening the heart is by the work of His Spirit (John 14:16; Isa. 11:2; 2 Tim. 1:7). We must labour to be such, both in state of soul and behavior of life, as to whom God will vouchsafe the blessing of strength of heart in evil times. That beforehand, in the days of peace, we beware of sin, and break off the cause thereof by true repentance. That we are truly in covenant with God. That by faith we rest and rely on God’s mercy in Christ Jesus. That we be upright-hearted towards God (2 Chron. 16:9; Ps. 18:2). (T. Pierson.).[10]

14. “Wait on the Lord.” Wait at his door with prayer; wait at his foot with humility; wait at his table with service; wait at his window with expectancy. Suitors often win nothing but the cold shoulder from earthly patrons after long and obsequious waiting; he speeds best whose patron is in the skies. “Be of good courage.” A soldier’s motto. Be it mine. Courage we shall need, and for the exercise of it we have as much reason as necessity, if we are soldiers of King Jesus. “And he shall strengthen thine heart.” He can lay the plaister right upon the weak place. Let the heart be strengthened, and the whole machine of humanity is filled with power; a strong heart makes a strong arm. What strength is this which God himself gives to the heart? Read the “Book of Martyrs,” and see its glorious deeds of prowess; go to God rather, and get such power thyself. “Wait, I say, on the Lord.” David, in the words “I say,” sets his own private seal to the word which, as an inspired man, he had been moved to write. It is his testimony as well as the command of God, and indeed he who writes these scanty notes has himself found it so sweet, so reviving, so profitable to draw near to God, that on his own account he also feels bound to write, “Wait, I say, on the Lord.”[11]